


Warrior Princess

by artisticFlutter



Series: Dragon's Bride AU [2]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien and Félix are related, Alternate Universe - Dragons, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Arranged Marriage, Brief Chloé mention, F/M, Gen, Kingdoms, Multi, Oh yes, Political Alliances, Political Intrigue, The Beginning of other Relationships, but not really, kagami's perspective
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-19
Updated: 2019-12-19
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:08:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21853468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/artisticFlutter/pseuds/artisticFlutter
Summary: Attending Prince Adrien’s birthday and engagement party, Princess Kagami needs to be the one he weds. Now if only a dragon didn’t complicate matters.(MLSecret Santa 2k19, Gift for: their_destinys_writer)
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Luka Couffaine & Kagami Tsurugi
Series: Dragon's Bride AU [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1574398
Comments: 21
Kudos: 143





	Warrior Princess

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Their_Destinys_Writer](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Their_Destinys_Writer/gifts).



> Disclaimer: Miraculous Ladybug/Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir was created by Thomas Astruc and Zagtoons. Please support the official release.
> 
> Beta Reader by: [PocketNoivern](http://archiveofourown.org/users/PocketNoivern/profile), Riki, and Ami

If she had any say in her marriage, Kagami would choose Félix over Adrien. She could not deny the younger Prince was handsome and well-educated by the best tutors that could be brought to Vitrail, but observing him at his birthday party, she was put-off by his behavior. He understood the reason he had to be wedded; he needed to play his part and that meant holding his head up and obscure his emotions. If her kingdom didn’t need this alliance, she’d tell her mother they were better off leaving him to Princess Lila.

How unfortunate that couldn’t be the case.

If securing the Qǐyuán Kingdom was the only way to make sure those opposing her taking up the throne were silenced, then so be it. It would be an accomplishment her great-grandfather had failed and no one would question her authority.

Still, why did it have to be Prince Adrien?

If it were Prince Félix, it would already be a move against Qǐyuán: to take the Prince once betrothed to the kingdom for her own. She could imagine the morale decline just from that alone, but her mother reassured her even wedding Prince Adrien would do the same – ally of the enemy and all. Not that she would point out this discrepancy to King Gabriel, nor would she bring this up to her mother again. No, she could work with the subdued nature that was the young Prince; and as long as he gave her what she would need in the future, it would work.

Brown eyes narrowing, Kagami remained standing beside her mother as she spoke with the King’s advisor, Nathalie, watching the Prince leave the room with who was likely his personal guard. How spineless, needing to excuse himself from his own party! But she continued to bite her tongue and took the time to observe the room again.

King Gabriel stood near the door the Prince had departed from, Prince Félix joining him and briefly catching her eye. His stoic gaze morphed into a moment’s icy leer before they were away in the next. It would be unwise to approach him at this time. Prince Adrien’s despair had been obvious, but his elder brother tempered his fury. She was sure that if he were already the ruler, he’d have everyone escorted out and no alliances made. There would be no easy method to curry her possible brother-in-law’s favor.

Her eyes passed over the Lord and Lady of the Bourgeois House next – André and Audrey – with their only daughter, Lady Chloé, looking her usual displeased as the few times they’d met before. She recognized only a few others noble houses choosing to stand closer together with their guards and personal servants – but then she saw  _ her _ and Kagami gnashed her teeth behind her lips.

Princess Lila of the Rossi Family, not even Royalty after stealing Regno dei Desideri, or “Desideri” for short. Calling her ‘Princess’ at all tarnished the title, but Kagami had to keep her posture and silently judge her competition. There was nothing physically unique about her and given her family’s methods, she was a cowardly fox with a silver tongue only fortunate to be here. Shooting a look back over to Prince Félix, at least he leered similarly at Princess Lila – if not even colder. Kagami could make out the way he bristled and did similar as Princess Lila and her family cautiously, but confidently approached King Gabriel to speak.

An alarm bell began to ring before any words could be exchanged.

Kagami turned her head as many in the great hall did as a sentry forced entry from the foyer entryway.

“Dragon! A dragon on Your Lord’s balcony!”

There was a split second before the hall erupted in a frenzy.

Guests panicked, personal attendants tried to hurry their Lords and Ladies to safety, knights were attempting to pass through and rush to the balcony, but then King Gabriel’s voice bellowed overall, commanding silence. The hall became motionless save for the guards; of whom, Kagami joined in rushing up the stairs, Prince Félix in the lead. They made it just in time to see it, and her breath caught at what she saw.

Sinewy in the back with a long tufted tail, broad in the torso, the dragon’s doe-like head with curling whiskers did not even bother to turn to its new audience. The white-scaled beast with its heavy curled horns capped by gold, long ears pierced with rings, and deep raven mane faced upwards as its unfurled wings came down, drawing its body up while the force Kagami, Prince Félix, and the knights back. Though her hair blurred her vision, the Princess could unmistakably make out Prince Adrien clutched tightly in a foretalon. The gold adorning him – trinkets meant to exemplify their trade goods - were likely what drew the dragon’s eye.

“Adrien!” Prince Félix yelled and reached out with a hand, but the dragon was off and airborne before anyone else could act. Kagami stood back, still in awe while she felt her gut sink. She nearly jumped when the Prince snarled, “Get the falconers and hunters! Don’t lose that monster!”

She bit the inside of her cheek.

Without Prince Adrien, what would happen now?

* * *

Months soon passed since Prince Adrien’s kidnapping and the opposition against Kagami grew. With or without a King, her coronation drew closer; though her mother attempted to reach out to the Kingdom of Vitrail, they never received correspondence. In fact, it seemed no other kingdoms had heard from King Gabriel since the incident and it was growing to be a concern. Vitrail was a Kingdom to either ally with or be neutral toward; many advisers warned to never become an enemy to the Agrestes. With the abrupt loss of contact, there was no saying what would happen next, or what King Gabriel might do.

She didn’t want to worry about a foreign power right now when she had to deal with an impending rebellion in her Kingdom; and she did not want to find herself with Princess Lila.

But that’s exactly where she was when the other Princess requested audience. She even bothered to travel from her ‘kingdom’ to meet.

Sitting upon her throne, hands resting in her lap, Kagami watched the Princess closely as she languidly entered her chambers and managed enough of a curtsy.

“Hello, Princess Kagami…!”

That was just her greeting and already so much saccharine made Kagami want to gag.

“Greetings yourself, Princess Lila,” she managed to coolly answer. “For what reason did you want my audience? Your letter stated you had ‘important information’ and a ‘proposition’ for me.”

“Yes, I do, but it already sounds like you don’t want to hear it. You don’t believe me?”

With the way Lila’s lips curled, Kagami wanted to answer ‘Of course not, who would?’, but she stopped herself.

“No… The fact you bothered mentioning it in your letter merits it must have  _ some _ truth,” she replied. She took a small amount of pleasure seeing Lila’s brow twitch, but the smile didn’t drop. “I have other matters to attend to so be quick.”

“ _ Of course _ ,” Lila nearly hissed, recomposing herself before going on. “It just so happens that I know where the dragon is. You know… the one who took the Prince?”

That… hadn’t at all been what Kagami expected to hear. Lila probably knew that she had Kagami’s attention, too.

“I’d send my own knights to deal with it, but I know you wanted to marry him first,” she went on, a hand covering her mouth. “If you save him, I’m sure King Gabriel will have you both married on the spot. Even Prince Félix will be impressed. They’d do anything to repay you…”

“… And what do you want out of this?”

So much information and Kagami had no doubt that Lila wanted something in exchange. After all, if she could send her own knights, why tell her at all? Wouldn’t she want the alliance instead? The marriage? Kagami could recall the looks Lila had been sending Prince Adrien’s way when she could, and the way she kept getting into his personal space. Maybe that’s just how things were done in her Kingdom, but most others would expect you to behave as custom to the visiting Kingdom to some degree.

When Lila finally spoke, Kagami could practically hear a purr in her tone. “Oh, it isn’t much, but… since you just need the marriage for alliance purposes, I could be a… companion to Adrien.”

Kagami sat taller and hardened her stare. “You mean be his Mistress.”

“Is that the word? I guess it is,” Lila replied, smirking. “So? A deal?”

And let a little sneak traipse about her Kingdom and plot?

Kagami didn’t like the deal, but the first part Lila said was true. If she were to rescue the Prince, no doubt King Gabriel would be pleased and the alliance would be secured. Not only that, but even before taking Qǐyuán, the accomplishment of slaying a dragon in her repertoire would deter her conspirators further. She might not require the alliance then; and if that happened, she wouldn’t have to marry Prince Adrien at all – she wouldn’t have to negotiate further with Princess Lila either. Even if she still had to, she could use the new alliance to rid of Rossi once their guard was down.

Blinking, Kagami rose to her feet; she had a target in mind.

“I’ll accept your deal, Princess Lila. My guard will take you to speak with my advisor and draft a formal agreement.”

“How  _ delightful _ ! I’m glad we could reach a peaceful agreement.”

And with the other Princess gone from the room, Kagami said nothing as her mother stepped out from behind the throne.

“She knows you plot, but not where the snares have been placed,” she hummed, cane clicking as she came to stand by Kagami. “Keep it that way and I’ll hold the Kingdom in line until your return.”

“Thank you, Mother.”

That would be needed, as upon the next dawn she would head out.

* * *

When fighting your enemy, one had to take a moment to get to know them. However, Kagami only remembered so much about the dragon that any action against it could likely be performed once. Describing the dragon back to her mother, she had to give pause. Their Kingdom didn’t know, but her mother had felled a dragon before giving her more intimate knowledge into slaying one. Though it was nothing like the dragon Kagami spoke of, the suggestion might work.

Music could entrance dragons; only a practiced musician could convey their true thoughts and feelings through it far better than words, and dragons could resonate with it as beasts that moved by instincts and nature alone.

It annoyed her that the only musician willing to come with her was the recent hire in their court.

Nothing about him physically was wrong – Kagami might put his appearance on par with the kidnapped Prince – but it was his silent reluctance to come along that irked her. She kept her eyes focused on the mountain growing days closer while he seemed to wander around their wagon and strum nonsense on his lyre, taking note of things that weren’t pertinent – honestly, why did the state of the earth around them matter? Did he not understand what might befall their kingdom if they strayed from this task?

“You understand your heart must be in this to distract the dragon,” she chided him, eyes narrowed as they traversed through the caverns, wagon since abandoned behind them. Weeks of travel and they were almost upon their target. She needed Luka to focus.

“I understand, Princess Kagami,” he answered in such an obedient manner, but she could hear something contrary in his tone. This irked her further, but she couldn’t demand him to elaborate in that moment. She saw light – a tapestry just translucent enough showed a chamber beyond and hulking, indiscernible forms unmoving. Hands moving to her sword, she looked to the magician and sharply nodded her head forward. He met her with a grim look, but quietly turned and passed through the cloth first.

The melodic vibrations of his instrument quickly began to fill the hollow chamber, soon accompanied by his voice. Unmoving, Kagami listened to the tune herself, concentrating and feeling what he sang. Be at peace, he meant no harm, but he had learned of the dragon and wanted to meet them himself – a lie, but quite convincing. She saw one of the forms move and caught the blazing trail of something blue.

Carefully, she crept in.

No doubt, that was the same dragon: Glittering white scales, gold-capped horns, winding whiskers, and black mane that flowed down its spine; she remembered it so clearly. It had been looking skyward with outstretched wings and the Prince in its talons then, but it focused on Luka this time, paying her no mind as she moved into position. A single fatal strike against something so large wouldn’t be possible, but with the element of surprise, she could make that opportunity so long as she didn’t hesitate to follow up.

There were plenty of potential places to target along its slender neck, but she wanted a juncture – between shoulder, neck, and wing – somewhere there would hinder its flight. Several paces closer, Kagami raised her sword to pierce through scale…

… but she hesitated because a blue eye and its slit pupil was focused on her.

The music that had been playing had halted. She swung, but only cut air as the dragon’s tail pushed her back and the monster lumbered up to its feet with fangs displayed. Shooting a leer in Luka’s direction, her breath caught because his lyre was broken – and the missing Prince stood next to him, glowering.

“Princess Kagami?” Though his tone questioned, his peridot eyes remained thinned, narrowed in a way that echoed his brother. “How did you two find this place? What do you think you’re doing?”

She was slightly taken aback. What did it look like they were doing?

“Saving you from this beast. If you recall, it kidnapped you,” she stated coolly, but it was a challenge between the dragon and – for some reason – the Prince’s lack of attire. He gets kidnapped and forgets his dignity? That would not do.

“I don’t need saving.” She fought rolling her eyes because this looked contrary. He stepped closer to the dragon and continued, “Unless my father plans to reconsider going to war, I’m not going back to that kingdom.”

“ _ That _ kingdom is your own.”

“That kingdom is my brother’s now, and he’d rule it well if the King would let him. I’m a bartering tool for an alliance that will take innocent lives,” he hissed, again startling Kagami. He didn’t have this spine back at his party. Would they have to take him back by force? A deeper, echoing growl reminded the Princess of the fact there too was the white dragon in the cavern still eyeing her, but curling its tail around Adrien. He, in turn, rested his hand along it. “I’ve never understood  _ why _ you want to go to war with Qǐyuán. They’ve never done anything to your family and I’m not interested in marrying just to give anyone more power to misuse!”

“You don’t have a choice in this, Adrien! Your King’s words are absolute!” Kagami snapped back. This behavior would not be acceptable when they returned.

“The ‘King’s’ word means nothing here,” Adrien replied coolly and turned his head away. “I’m  _ not _ going back to that kingdom and I’m  _ not _ going back with you. If this has anything to do with the unrest in your kingdom, find another way.”

“Adrien--!”

A claw slammed before Kagami after she took a step forward, impeding her approach.

“That’s enough.” Her eyes grew because that voice was new. It was feminine despite underlying weight given to it, but there was no one else here aside from Luka and Adrien. Kagami looked up to see the dragon’s ears were pulled back and its head had moved closer; and then its mouth – lips? – moved. “My mate’s done speaking with you. Leave while I’m still willing to hold back even after you’ve disrespected him.”

Kagami glowered, but she wouldn’t match the dragon’s gaze anytime soon. Besides, its words perplexed her. ‘Mate’? Adrien was  _ with _ the dragon? The Princess stepped back, but didn’t turn away as she approached Luka, refusing to lower her guard around the creature. They remained facing it as they passed through the same tapestry as before, but Kagami paused when it snorted.

_ “You have a thing for dragons, don’t you?”  _

_ “W-What? No I don’t!” _

_ “But you had that one as a potential mate. She’s decided to look human…” _

* * *

The wagon ride to the closest village was silent. Sure, she required it in order to ponder over the dragon’s words, but Luka was seething himself, as the lyre that had been broken was a gift from his late father. She’d make amends for that in due time; all those times he was the contrarian before, he still accompanied her. But again, another time when her mind wasn’t wracked by thought, stewing over the Dragon and the Prince’s words. She’d thought so long about seizing Qǐyuán that she’d never really stopped to consider  _ why _ her great-grandfather had wanted it in the first place, the Kingdom where the Seven were said to reside, but that had been a mere child’s story her mother always told her. Surely that could not be it, that could not be true!

Yet from her studies, the only time there’d been transgressions against her kingdom by Qǐyuán were so long ago that not even her great-grandfather would be capable of bearing such grudges. Meanwhile, her mother... she paused, brows creasing. Her mother knew the tale, and she’d also become increasingly hostile about Qǐyuán. But why?

“… Princess, your heart beats a storm,” Luka finally spoke and she looked his way. He, however, looked onward on their road, the reins tight in his hands empty without his instrument. “My instrument hasn’t been completely lost, but I doubt that’s what’s on your mind.”

It was nothing he needn’t mind, but she halted a snappy retort. Luka was being a loyal subject; he didn’t have to worry about her, but he did. Her lips pursed, her eyes relaxed and she sighed, “I was thinking about what Prince Adrien and the dragon said. My great-grandfather always wanted to invade Qǐyuán, but… I realize I don’t know why. Prince Adrien may be right - it may have only been a grab for power. I would understand if we needed their land for food production, but it’s already so far.”

Vocally admitting it made the truth resonate and further wonder why her mother never deterred her from this route.

“It’s true. Even when I lived in Vitrail and heard the rumors, I couldn’t fathom why you would do that,” Luka spoke, turning his head to look back out over the countryside. “Then again, I’m not a noble or Prince, and the only reason I could think of as a musician is of the Seven. The Kingdom of Qǐyuán is said to be the home of all manner of magic and the origin of human civilization. The seven kingdoms that came to be were built and ruled by the descendants of the Seven who are meant to maintain harmony; otherwise…”

“... Otherwise what?” Kagami hadn’t heard this part of the story. Then again, she’d never heard there being other renditions of the tale.

Luka gazed back at her with dim eyes, the corners of his mouth dropped. “... Monsters will arise like the demons in Vitrail. There’s no knowing where they will end, but two of the Seven are supposed to appear and fight them.”

Her eyes widened. This was the first she was hearing about demons in Vitrail since they’d stopped communicating. Suddenly, invading Qǐyuán was beginning to sound like the opposite path they needed to take; and thinking about it again, she should speak to her mother about her insistence and opting for talks instead. Also, if her mother was a dragon, they really needed to talk about that and her apparently slaying a dragon before.

Releasing a breath, she bowed her head to the musician. “Thank you, Luka. I think we’ll change our plans and head back for now.”

“You’re welcome, but what about the Prince?” he inquired only for her to shake her head.

“No. He was right. My great-grandfather wanted the kingdom for another reason, but something’s going on. We must find out what it is.”

Raising her head, she gazed from the wagon and took in the horizon, the white clouds and green foliage that stretched on into the distance. Inhaling deeply, she sighed, “I didn’t notice it when we were coming here before… it’s calm here.”

“It is, Princess.” And unlike before, she could hear the smile before she looked back to him. “And I know you’ll bring this calm to your kingdom. Let me know if I can help in any way.”

**Author's Note:**

> Surprised to see another part? Well ta-da! This time, it's a gift! Bet you guys weren't expecting Kagami either, hehe.
> 
> There's definitely more to write about Kagami (Confronting her Mom, seizing control of her own kingdom, etc.), but shhh... that's for another time. She's making a party and she has a bard now (rock on Luka). Who else will join? That's for everyone to find out in another part. I wonder who it might be because we have Luka, but there's also Nino, Alya, and Chloé... oops, I guess I never mentioned them in the first part.
> 
> Anyway, please remember to comment, kudos, and subscribe for any future updates! Later!


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